Combined spring tire carrier and vehicle bumper



' June 5, 1928.

' 1,672,335 D. H. OMEARA COMBINED SPRING TIRE CARRIER AND VEHICLE BUMPER Filed June 25, 1927 Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES DENIS HENRY OMEARA,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED SPRING TIRE CARRIER AND VEHICLE BUMPER.

Application filed June 25,

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle bumpers in which a forwardlyprojecting pneumatic tire .is carried horizontally in a crosswise vehicle or air-plane bumper thus combining an air pressure rubber tire bumper in a transverse steel bumper, and the objects of my improvement are, first, to give to the ordinary type of steel spring bumper a pneumatic shock absorbing qualll) ity to co-operate with its natural spring movement and produce the same results in a bumper as a pneumatic tire does on a wheel; second,-to produce a spring bumper in which a universal member therein serves as a carrier for a tire as a tire bumper, and at the same time serves as an auxiliary impact spring and having a common method of adjustment to change the said member as a tire holder to fit different sizes of tires, and likewise to change same member as an auxiliary bumper spring to give greater or lesser resistance; third,to produce an efiicient and presentable vehicle bumper with means in addition for carrying a tire as a spare tire or bumper tire, but in which a tire may or may not be carried; fourth,-to improve the appearance of the ordinary type of bumper by giving it a softer and more massive proportion to the vehicle, and a bumper that will prove a factor in safety and do less harm to pedestrians and property in collision.

In the said drawings illustrating the preferred form of. this invention, Fig. 1 isv a perspective view of the combined spring bumper and tire carrier attached to the front of an automobile and witha pneumatic tire bumper in place; Fig. 2 is a top-view of the combined spring carrier and crosswise bumper detachedfrom the vehicle, with a pneumatic tire in place and in dotted outline showing the preferred method of making the spring carrier frame smaller with a corresponding smaller tire in position; Fig. 3 is a front view of Fig. 2, with tire removed; Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a rear view of the detached bumper without the accessory tire; Figs. 6and 7 show a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is a broken top View ofthe detached crosswise bumper showing the semicircular carrier frame contracted and the convex face of the bumper spring to a greater convex position as a result and showing a resilient oval bumper of fiat'spring metal in the crosswise the adjustable clamps 0-0.

1927. Serial No, 201,385.

bumper instead of the neumatic tire shown elsewhere; Fig. 7 is a roken front view of one end of Fig.6.

While .I show herein the spring tire carrier construction, built into a double frame solid tire or wheel of wood, rubber or other material may be used, or an incomplete tire or wheel may 'be'substituted, or an oval shape member or one with a circular front and a deformed 0r specially designed back portion for better results may be substituted instead of a true wheel or tire as shown, and while a spare tire or wheel that may be used also on the vehicle is preferred, a specially designed tire or wheel or circular body may be used as well, and while I show the tire or wheel removably secured in the crosswise bumper it ma be permanently secured therein. And, whi e I use an auto here, it is serviceable also on an airship or boat.

Referring to the drawings which are the subject of this specification (l%tl, are vertically spaced parallel bars of flat spring metal bent flatwise at each end into return loops bb, and held in spaced relation by At d, is a rigid crosswise stiffening bar with upwardly extending ends ee, producin a three-way connecting back frame f, 0 flat material bent edgewise and with an open top and depressed lower portion, and to the sides ee, thereof the approaching ends of the frames a -a, are attached thus completing a double vertically faced continuous frame of band material with a stationary back portion and an impact front portion connected by loop ends. At 9, is a substantially semicircular two piece enclosing band of flat spring steel in opposed halves hh, connected at back by a curved bridge plate 2', provided with a longitudinal slot 7', therein through which bolts lckare passed engaging apertures in members hrh. The return ends Z-Z, of said enclosing band are curved outwardly to a parallel position with the impact face of the bumper and are slidably and removably secured against the inner surface thereof through the spaced opening in framerbyfithei: additional clamps 9l 72, at each end of bumper, 'thusproducing a deep spring truss and tire carrier n-,--ex-tending rearwardly in a horizontal posit-i'onzfnom the center of the impact portion of the bumper and z'making ax..part.ithereof and movable therewith back and forth through the communicating edge-opening-o, in the stationary frame f, the .said semi-circular zspring frame nf-being shaped like a spreading inverted U, -inthe" present :case,"witl1 outwardly flared ends and producing when 'thuszsecuredto the bumper an elliptieimpact portion. ASBCOIiClTCI'OSSWiSQ edge open- ;ing p, is centrally si'tuatedini'theimpact face of'the bumperand' made- -therein' by, double opposed offsets g-g, bent away from each other at an. inclined angle inthe frames a.w,'providi ng a greatly increased ,space betweenthe upper and lower edges thereof from the corresponding frame space in'the end portions thus producingan open'design common in many makes ofbumpers, but greatly enlarged herein andiputto a new and useful purpose inlthe present invention. An inflated rubber .tire 9", preferably a spare .tire and adapted foruse otherwise on a vehicleis put tightly into the spring carrier 92, and into the adjacent crosswise, opening in the impactportion of bumper ina side- Wise position, and in such. a .manner.'thata portion of the tire will project beyond the outer face thereof. in; a horizontal position thus becoming ,one with lthe .iinpact portion 1 of the bumper .Land serving as a projected ltire' bumper, ,and held .in such projected positioniby the said-enclosing springearrier frame 91,.fitg2lll13b collision. It willbelnotedltheisaid semicircular spring frame will .springcslightly avithfthe .iiidependent yield ofjthetire bumper against the attached impact portion tr .the =carrier bumper, while .inthecase of. a flat band the there is. a considerable triple impact action between the. crosswise bumper carrier. mem- .ber and spring tire. .At ss are vertical receiver lugs attached .to'the .carrie 'if hand 9, and-extending inwardly to support and hold 'the..tire or wheel a", evenly inside the enclosing frame a. "At tt, are,adjustablefand removablespring lugs of stamped sheet metal clamped againstlthe onte'rfface o'f lhe bumpen anl. extending horizontally thereon ,overtlie end edges oft-he crosswiseltire opening p, in opposed relationfto each other to shorten; or i lengthen the, opening by ap- ,proachingi or mo'vingaway the-said keeper lugs ateach end of the opening, thus adjustably chan'ging the opening tofit. different sizes of tires. The said'inclined" lugs ZLL, haveaflat clamping end slidablvmounted on. theframe and'a free springaend 'outwardly inclined and'with' the end edge conexert a spring pressure thereagainst at either side Ltot keep the extendedttire in the; bumper. The semi-circular spring frame g, is made ---inopposed halves h-h, to permit the spring (frame-n. to -be. ,en.larged or contracted by spreading or approaching the meeting ends won the connecting platez' priiby lapping the same to adapt the frame to fit different sizes of tires as atire carrier, or to increase or lessen the spring resistance of the frame as an auxiliary spring truss to reinforce the bumper, likewise the diameterpf' thewsaid semi-circular spring framern-ay-be. changed 'by' spreading or approaching the curved =attaching ends ZZ on the frame-of'the"bumper 'and'securing them at: different 1 points "thereon. Th'usthe said "spring, frame: a; becomes a part ofthennpact portion of the bumper transmitting any shocks-received by the' t-ire bumper "therein-to "the adjacent impact 'meinber. It will-be easily-seen the spreading reverse curves ZZ', andthe centralcsemr circular portion g, react oppositely producingin place a free self-a'ctingtruss.spring iandspringtire carrier having the; added-advantage-of a common means ofiadj-ustment as a bumper spring in one capacity, and as a tire carrier."inanother. 1111" other 'WOi'ClS, the construction ofthe SaldIIIQIEbBI"fLI;aS a bumper'spring is an accident or its con .struction as atire carrier,and"'aricevtrsa. The described universal member a, is best ShOWIl as atrussspring 6;""with connecting plate i,.discarded andtlie approaching'ends lapped asthe' bumper"might preferablybe adjusted when nojitire is used and increased stiffness thereiniis esseiiti'al,thereby. sforming-inthis adjusted position an'elliptic impact portion. "Fig"? shows'lithe semicircular member it, used as atire carrier, while serving also as a bumper spring in a lesser degree. A connecting crossbar u ,bolt'ed-to the upwardly extending sides ee, ofthe. stationary frame serves" to .closc the openJtop thereof afterthe'tire r, is placed in the carrier 11, thus permitting the tire to be; put into the impact opening from the inside of the bumperinssorii'e cases andthe vertical'lslotholes ov,;in.the said side ends e-.e,, permit'the movable'rcross bar u,-to'be raised and lowered on the .sides ee, to fit vdifferentsizes of. tires ,or'whe els.

"Fig.6 and Fig.7. show aseco'nd ,embodi- A caved tofinish against theproj'e'cte'dtireand portionisrequiredwith a niini'mumflepth.

Since it is only the Convex portion of a wheel or tire projecting outside theface of the bumper that becomes actively the bumper it'is plain the main purpose .of the invention may be equally carried out with an oval member no, as well as a circular member r, or by such a member cut away at the back or otherwise abbreviated and mechanically secured to {the said carrier member; a. fit w re, are shown opposed spring lugs outwardly curved to finish against the oval member 10, and otherwise of the same general shape and serving the same purpose as the corresponding lugs t'-t, already described. In both cases these inclined approach lugs are preferably made of tempered sheet steel and possess a recoil resistance to protect the tire. At y y, are shown angle lugs for securing the bumper, to a'vehicle, airplane, etc.

From the foregoing it will be plain that improved features in a bumper for vehicles have been produced and that changes in the minor details may be resorted to, and the right is herein reserved to make such changes falling within thescope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In combination with a transverse vehicle bumper, having a resilient impact portion, means for adapting said bumper to hold a tire or wheel therein in such a manner that a portion thereof will project beyond outer face of the bumper in a sidewise position and be movable backward and forward with movement of said impact portion and in said conjunction therewith producing a combined tire carrier and bumper, and means for attaching the same to avehicle.

2. In a transverse vehicle bumper, the combination of an adjustable tire carrier mounted horizontally and centrally therein and adapted to hold a tire or wheel in such a manner that a portion thereof will project beyond the outer face of said bumper in a sidewise position as an auxiliary tire bumper, and means for attaching said combined bumper and tire carrier to a vehicle.

3. In combination with a transverse resilient vehicle bumper, a crosswise spring truss extending rearwardly and horizontally from the center of said bumper and having return ends attached to each end thereof producing an unequal elliptic impact portion movable back and forth as one member, said inwardly curved spring truss being adapted to hold a resilient tire or elliptic member or a portion thereof in such a manner that the outer portion of the same will project beyond the outer faceof the bumper in the capacity of an auxiliary tire bumper to the said elliptic crosswise bumper, means for contracting, enlarging or spreading said inwardly extending spring truss to changethe arc of the convex outer face of the bumper thereby increasingor lessening the spring power of said bumper, or regulating the projection of said auxiliary tire memher outside said bumper, and means for attaching said compound bumper toa vehicle.

4. In combination with a transverse resilient bumper, an adjustable crosswise spring frame extending rearwardlyifrom the center of said bumper and in the horizontal plane thereof and adapted to hold a tire or wheel or a section thereof in said frame in such a manner that a portion thereof will project beyond the outer face of said bumper in a horizontal position and held in said projected position against shock of collision by the said enclosing frame, thus producing a spring tire carrier and spring truss in one member combined with the impact portion of said bumper and movable back and forth therewith, and means for attachin said spring bumper and tire carrier to a vehicle.

5. In a transverse vehicle bumper having a resilient impact portion, the combination of a spring frame extending rearwardly and in a horizontal position from the center of the bumper and adapted to hold a tire or wheel therein in such a manner that a portion thereof will project beyond the outer face of said bumper in a horizontal position and sustained in such projected position against the shock of collision by said spring frame thus comprising a deep spring bumper truss and spring tire carrier in one member, and in said conjunction therewith producing a compound tire and crosswise bumper, adjustable means for enlarging or contracting said truss and tire carrier, adjustable approach lugs slidably mounted on the face of the bumper and extending horizontally thereon toward the center of the bumper from each end thereof to shorten or lengthen crosswise tire opening to suit the projected portion of the tire, said lugs having free opposed spring ends inclined outwardly against the periphery of said projected tire and concaved to finish thereagainst at either side thereof while holding said tire in place by spring pressure, and means for attaching said combined spring tire carrier and bumper to a vehicle.

6. In a transverse vehicle bumper having a resilient impact portion, the combination of a substantially semicircular enclosing frame of spring material adapted to fit around a portion of a tire or wheel, subsequently referred to, and with the return ends of said enclosing frame flexibly and adjustably attached to the impact portion of the bumper, said frame being centrally attached thereto in a horizontal position, and extending rearwardly from the center of the impact portion and beyond the back of said bumper and movable back and forth with movement of said impact portion, thus 

